Suction cleaning apparatus



Aug. 1o, 1943. c, H, TAYLOR 2,326,311

sUc'uoN `GLEANINcI AfjAnA'rUs l Filed Jan. 7, 1942 Flai.

ATTORNK Patented Aug. A10, 1943 FEICE SUC'IN ELEG APPTUS Charles H. Taylor, Springfield, Mass., assigner to Westinghouse Electric & nufacturing Comf pany, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation -of Pennsylvania application January '3, iets, serial No. 425,895

i anim. (ci. ie-e) This invention reiates to suction cleaning apparatus. Y

An object is to provide the type described.

When cleaning some oor coverings (carpets or rugs), particularly carpets or rugs having a dense nap, or tightly woven base, the nozzle of the cleaner makes a tight seal with the nap. This tight seal cuts down the air ow in the nozzle and thereby lowers the cleaningfeiciency of the cleaner and, also, permits a high suction to build up in the nozzle. l-I'his high suction sometimes pulls the covering up against the nozzle of the cleaner, making it diiiicult to push the cleaner over the covering being cleaned. In some instances the covering is drawn so far up into the nozzle that it bears against the brush roll with improved apparatus of suicient force to slow it down, thereby decreasing the efliciency of the cleaner.

Accordingly, it is a further object to provide a suction cleaner wherein the above objections arel eliminated.

Ating outside air to the nozzle when the suction inside the nozzle reaches a predetermined value broken. away,v is provided for ltering out and holding the dust and other litter picked up by the cleaner.

The nozzle i I is dened by a longitudinal front wall 2U, a longitudinal rear wall 2|, a pair of end walls 22, and a removable bottom wall 23 havingv an aperture 24 therein which provides the inlet for the nozzle.- During normal cleaning of a iioor covering I8 having a nap I9, the air now into the nozzle is substantially as indicated by the solid arrows in Fig.'3.

two valves have been shown, but-it will be understood that any desired number may be provided. These valves automatically openvwhen the suction inside the nozzle II reaches a predetermined value to admit outside air to the nozzle, and, thereby, prevent thel suction'from building up high enough to cause the nozzle to grip 4the and means for utilizing this air to assist in cleani l ing the surface.

These and other objects are eiiected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claim taken in accordance with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in'which:

Fig. 1v is a. side elevation, with parts broken away, of a cleaner embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a partial section taken along line III-III of Fig. 2 ;V and,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section of one of the valves.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a' cleaner body I0, in which there is mounted the-usual ian and the usual motor for driving the same, is

f'shown. The body I0 is formed with an elongated surface to be cleaned. A dust bag I6, shown Figs. 3 and 4, and admit air to. the nozzle.

carpet or rug so tightly that it is diftlcult. to propel the cleaner over the same, or so tightly that the carpet or rug bears against the brush roll with suicient force to slow it down. These valves also contribute to the emciency of the cleaner, in that, they insure a substantially constant air flow through the nozzle II throughout the cleaning of practically any napped iioor covering regardless of .thetexture or thickness of the nap or base of the covering. Each of the valves 25 includes a port 26 and a flexible resilient mem7 ber 21. The members 21 are positioned on the inside ofthe nozzle II and are attached to the longitudinal front wall 20 by rivets 29 so that when they are in their normal position they cover the ports 26. When the suction in the nozzle' reaches a predetermined value', the pressure dii rerential4 between the inside and the outside ofv the nozzle will cause the members 21 to spring v inwardly to the open position, indicated by broken lines and theA reference character 21a in With thisarrangement any desired suction within a.

predetermined range may be maintained in the nozzle by selecting members 21 ot the proper resiliency. A deector plate or shield 30 is also attached to the front wallV 20 by .the rivets 29. 'Ihis plate or shield extends substantially the full length oi. the nozzle II and a lower -portion 32 is spaced from the front wall 20. 'I'he lowerv portion of this shield .is arcuate shaped, the arc beingsubstantially coincident with the arc circumscribed by the tip ends of the bristles 9. As seen from Figs. 1 and 3., the shield 30, the front wal1 20, and bottom wall 23 dene a chamber 3| into which the ports 26 open. The lowermost portion 33 of the shield 30 and an edge 34 of the bottom .wall 23 are shaped, so as to provide, in eect, a nozzle that directs the air from the chamber 3l across ythe portion of the carpet I8 that is swept by the bristles 9, in an arcsubstantially coincident to the arc circumscribed by the tip ends'of the bristles 28, as indicated by the broken arrows Fig. 3. 'I'his air is blown against the carpet with considerable force and the action of the same across the area contacted and vibrated by the brush roll assists the brush roll in removing and carrying away dirt and litter located between the adjacent pieces of nap l 9.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, it is seen that this invention provides an improved suction cleaner including means for admitting outside air to the inside of the nozzle when the suction in the nozzle reaches a predetermined value and means for directing this air across the portion of the floor covering contacted by the brush roll, thereby assisting the brush roll in removing and carrying away embedded dirt and litter from between adjacent pieces of nap.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modincations without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire. therefore, that "'onlfsuch limitations shall be placed thereupon'as are specifically set 'forth in the appendedclaim. L

What I claim is: v

In a suction cleaner, a nozzle' having elongated side wallsand bottom wall portions which extend inwardly from said side walls, a brush roll member having bristles thereon rotatably mounted in said nozzle for sweepingl the surface being cleaned, a port located in one of said side walls and communicating with the atmosphere and said nozzle, a iiat spring attached to said one wall and normally obstructing .said port, said spring being operable by the pressure differential between the inside and outside of said nozzle when the suction in said nozzlereachesa predetermined value to admit outside air to said nozzle, a shield also attached to the inside of said one wall of said nozzle at a position above saidport and extending downwardly below said spring and said port, the lower portion of said shield being bent arcuately and inwardly so as to provide a downwardly daring chamber between the same and said one wall into which the air admitted through said port enters, the bottom edge of said shield and the inner edge of the adjacent bottom wall portion forming an elongated nozzle directing said air across the area of the surface being cleaned that is contacted by` the bristles.

CHARLES H. TAYLOR. 

